Search on for official partners in peppercorn export to China

PEPPER industry insiders are eager for general improvements in the quality and quantity of locally-grown peppercorn sold to overseas markets, following a call from agricultural authorities to owners of plantations as well as processing and packaging plants, along with cooperatives, to apply for approval to export the commodity to mainland China.

The “Protocol of Phytosanitary Requirements for Export of Peppercorns from Cambodia to China” was signed on November 9 between Chinese Customs and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, marking a major step towards the official export of domestically-produced peppercorn to the Chinese market.

The ministry’s General Directorate of Agriculture (GDA) issued the call in a December 12 statement, saying that officials will review the plantations and facilities of applicants for compliance with the protocol.

Before the first batches of peppercorn leave Cambodian shores, the GDA must send a list of approved plantations and facilities to Chinese authorities for additional review, which it plans to do in early January, according to the statement.

Cambodian Pepper and Spices Federation (CPSF) president Mak Ny speculated that the agriculture ministry could put “experts and Chinese buyers” in direct contact with applicants “for the export process”.

He told The Post on December 14 that Cambodia currently exports peppercorn to markets such as Vietnam, Europe, the US, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan and the Middle East, affirming that some of the product shipped to Vietnam tends to make its way into mainland China.

“This marks the next step towards market access to China for Cambodian pepper, taking into account that Cambodia has historically been heavily reliant on Vietnam for export to China,” he said.

However, a continuing downtrend in pepper prices over recent years has led to increased negligence in cultivation, maintenance and investment planning, Ny rued.

High production costs have also made it prohibitively difficult to compete with neighbouring countries on the global market, he added.

“I’d like to ask the agriculture ministry to help create a blueprint for